Murphy a class above with a 10 shot win at Kerry Scratch Cup

Portumna’s Sam Murphy eases to a 10-shot victory in the Kerry Group sponsored Kerry Scratch Cup Tralee Golf Links.

Murphy is no stranger to huge winning margins as he claimed the Irish Boys title by eight shots at Thurles Golf Club last August.

Playing off plus four, Murphy fired rounds of 71 and 69 to lead by eight strokes from Waterford’s Eanna Griffin overnight. He closed the deal with a level par 72 on Sunday to win by 10 from Castletroy’s Andrew McCormack.

“I am delighted,” said Murphy, who will start his first year in Grand Canyon University in Arizona in September. “I was really pleased with my two rounds yesterday because they were really solid in really tough conditions. So to be leading by eight shots heading into the final round was very satisfying.

“I was three-under after nine today and a good few ahead at that stage so there wasn’t too much pressure on me coming down the stretch.

“I ended up shooting level par today. Conditions were too bad on the front nine but the wind got up once we made the turn and it was a two or three-club win coming home and it was tough. “

The Portumna teenager will now tee it up in the North of Ireland, South of Ireland and the Mullingar Scratch Cup before he moves over to the States for college.

“I have never played at Royal Portrush, or played a big matchplay championship, so I am looking forward to that and the South the following week. So I have some really good weeks to look forward to before heading to Mullingar.”

Kerry Scratch Cup, sponsored by Kerry Group Final Results

• Sam Murphy 71 69 72 212 Winner

• Andrew McCormack 74 76 72 222 Runner-up

• Darren P O’Sullivan 75 77 73 225 3rd

• Matthew McClean 74 77 74 225

• Paul Coughlan 75 75 76 226

• Fergal O’Sullivan 70 81 76 227 Overall

• Charlie Denvir 77 72 79 228 Overall

• Cian Geraghty 77 78 74 229 Overall

• Greg O’Mahony 73 82 74 229 Overall

• Graham Spring 75 77 77 229

• Eanna Griffin 73 75 82 230

• Edward Stack 74 75 82 231

• James Murray 81 75 76 232

• Jack McDonnell 80 79 74 233

• Mel Deasy 78 78 77 233

• Senan Carroll 80 74 79 233

• Luke Lynch 76 80 78 234

• Dave Kinneen 75 81 79 235

• Paul Buckley 77 80 80 237

• Annraoi Collins 84 77 77 238

• Ruairi O’Connor 80 79 79 238

• Dave Reddan 83 74 81 238

• Stephen O’Neill 84 77 78 239

• Mark Shanahan 77 80 82 239

• Dean McMahon 74 81 84 239